Stuart
Stuart Bloom Stuart runs The Comic Center of Pasadena, the comic book store that the guys patronize. Stuart is characterized by his low self-esteem and loneliness, which result in pathetic attempts to engage with women and win favor with the main cast. This is despite owning his own (albeit troubled) business, and being a talented portraiture artist who attended the Rhode Island School of Design. During Stuart's first appearance, the guys brought Penny to the store and he managed to ask her on a date. The date went fine until Stuart was dragged into discussing comic books by Sheldon, leaving Penny bored.39 On a second date with Penny, Stuart asked for Leonard's advice, but feeling threatened, Leonard ultimately gave him bad advice. The date went fine, but when Penny was getting romantic with Stuart she mistakenly called him "Leonard", leaving him devastated.40 He also briefly went on a date with Amy in season 5; although Sheldon interrupted the date to solidify his relationship with Amy. Stuart was the partner of Wil Wheaton in a trading card game tournament in which they defeated the team of Raj and Sheldon.27 As Stuart runs a comic book store, he has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of comic books and superheroes. In the season 4 episode "The Toast Derivation", he mentions that he is in financial trouble and that the comic book store is now also his home. In "The Justice League Recombination", he states that he works 70 hours and clears an average of $1.65 per hour after expenses, so his income per week would be $115.50. At Howard's bachelor party during the "The Stag Convergence" episode, Stuart uses his toasting turn to tell Howard how lucky he is by contrast to Stuart's own existence. In the season 6 episode "The Bakersfield Expedition," Penny asks Stuart for advice about comics, and he sullenly answers, "Don't own a store that sells them." During "The Decoupling Fluctuation", Stuart becomes close friends with Raj and starts hanging out with the gang as a replacement for Howard while Howard is in space. Before accepting this, Sheldon quizzes Stuart as to where he went to school (Stuart has an art degree). Sheldon concedes to adding Stuart to the group, calling him "fake-Wolowitz" and equating his past career choice in art to Howard's as an aerospace engineer as "equally ridiculous". When Howard returns from space Sheldon wants to dismiss Stuart from the group but Raj objects. Leonard tie-breaks on the basis that they are receiving a 20% discount in Stuart's store. Sheldon relents after Stuart offers to go as high as 30%. Initially, Sheldon had stipulated that Stuart must act like Howard while in the gang's presence. After his comic book store burns down Howard offers him a place to stay and a job as his mother's nurse. At the time all other nurses have been driven away but Stuart likes the job and develops a surprising closeness with Howard's mother, even staying there long after she had recovered, much to Howard's annoyance.42 After the death of Howard's mother, Howard and Bernadette move back into the house, with Stuart still staying. In the season eight finale, the two attempt to ask Stuart to move out, but are unable to bring themselves to do it after learning it is his birthday. As of the start of the ninth season, he still lives there. He moved out later that season. Category:Person Category:Main Person